Outdoor activity ideas and inspiration

From mid-March to the end of May 2020, Harpswell Heritage Land Trust (HHLT) posted a simple outdoor activity idea and nature riddle for kids every weekday. Some days we also posted other resources, like downloadable chapters of the Junior Ranger Activity Book.

Created to support parents who found themselves homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic, these activity ideas are a great jumping off point for any outdoor adventure. Click here for a list with links to all 50 activity ideas.

Nature riddle

This large bird has a wing span that tops seven feet and a dive speed that can nearly hit 100 mph! Its population numbers fell dramatically in the last century but have now rebounded. Click here to read more about this fascinating animal.

Animal tracking

With all this rain lately making the ground nice and muddy, it’s a great time to go looking for animal tracks! Identify some common animal tracks you might find in Maine with a one-page key from Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (download it below). Some things to pay attention to are the size of the print, the number of toes you can see, the shape of the palm, and the pattern of the tracks, if you can see more than one. Are they in a straight line? Do they always show up in pairs of two? Or do they alternate, like human tracks?

If you’re having trouble finding tracks, try making some of your own! Play a game of hide and seek with a family member and see if they can find you by following your tracks.

This activity idea submitted by Emma Levy.